Fire
by Little Creek
Summary: Sheppard's POV as Todd feeds on him for the first time in Common Ground. *UPDATED*


**A/N 2: the reviews I got for this story wanted it to be longer, so I added some to it. Enjoy!**

A/N: Another short, whumpy story. I have several multi-chapter stories in progress, but I can't seem to find the motivation to finish them at the moment.

**Fire**

_A Common Ground scene, Shep's POV_

"Sheppard could have left you to rot down in that hole when we last met, Kolya. He does not deserve this!"

As I watched the Wraith stumble towards me I definitely wished I had left Kolya down the hole.

"Let's be clear, Dr McKay. No one does."

The guards released the Wraith's feeding hand and it growled in anticipation.

"Don't do this. Don't do it!"

Elizabeth's normally soft voice was raised in alarm. My heart was pounding and I felt sick with a fear I hoped didn't show. I saw the Wraith leaning closer, its hand now free, as if in slow motion.

"The choice is yours, Doctor Weir. Do we have an arrangement?"

There was no answer and I was both relieved and terrified. This couldn't be real. It had to be a nightmare, a bad dream. I would wake up any moment now, gasping and sweating back in the safety of my room on Atlantis.

"Very well."

Oh no. That nod of Kolya's could only mean one thing. The Wraith's hand slammed into my chest, first breaking through my shirt then my skin. I felt the enzyme flood my body like adrenaline, making my heart race even faster. Then pain. No, it was more than pain – it was my chest being ripped apart, tendrils of fire licking my neck and racing across my shoulders and spreading through my body. I threw my head back, arms involuntarily straining at the straps that held me. It was like nothing I'd ever experienced before. There was no respite from the agony. It didn't come in waves; it was constant, consuming my entire body with unending strength. I couldn't even get enough breath to scream. The world was drowned out by the roaring in my ears. Then the pressure of the hand on my chest left, relief at last, the pain fading to a barely tolerable level. My head fell forward as I gasped for air, struggling to clear my head and gather enough strength to raise my head again. Oh, God, that had hurt. It still hurt. The only other coherent thought I could form at that moment was a string of swear words directed at Kolya.

"You just crossed a line, Kolya."

Now Elizabeth was angry. And if she was angry, Ronon must be raging right now. If he had his way, Kolya would probably wish he'd been left down the hole. It would have been a better way to die than some of the things Ronon could think up.

"We've found that a minimum of three hours between feeding sessions is crucial to ensure the body has sufficient time to recover from the trauma. That's the time you have to decide. Three hours."

Three hours? Oh God. _Hurry up, you guys._ The guards untied me and roughly hauled me to my feet. I tried not to cry out, but the movement was pulling painfully at my chest. My legs weren't working right. Finally we reached the cell and I was shoved in. The door was closed and locked behind me. I stumbled over the wall and slumped against it, listing weakly to the right.

"They called you Sheppard."

Ah, yes, the other prisoner. I raised my head.

"Yeah. That's my name. Pleased to meet you."

That was the best I could offer at that point. My chest still burned viciously. I felt so tired.

"You are in pain."

"Well, I just got fed on by a Wraith. What do you think?"

"I would not know."

"Hopefully, you'll never have to find out."

I mustered up enough strength to sit up properly. My limbs felt heavy and slightly numb.

"I didn't think anything could hurt that much."

"You're still alive."

"Yeah, well…I don't know how many years the darn thing took off my life. But I'll tell you this: if Kolya's men hadn't have pulled that damn thing off, I'd be dust in a flak jacket."

"Do you blame the Wraith, or the master?"

"I'm gonna go with both."

"There is a difference. The Wraith must feed in order to live."

Something in his voice made me wonder... Was he defending the Wraith? I pulled myself to my feet. The guards had never called me Sheppard, so how could the other prisoner know? Only Kolya had called me by name, and my team over the radio. I straightened up.

"For a Wraith, hunger burns like a fire."

I walked closer. The only other thing that could have heard my name was...

"Tell me, Sheppard, if you found yourself burning alive, would you settle for just one drop of water, or would you take more?"

I was now inches from the bars, and I could see the shadowy figure was now on his feet.

"When'd you hear them call me Sheppard?"

The figure stepped into the light and I nearly stepped back before remembering I was still safe. My heart was racing again.

"Just before I started to feed."

It was the Wraith.

**The End**


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